War-Broken World
by Flame of the Dark
Summary: A sad-one shot story. After finding Stardust, a Lightfury and the last of her kind, life at Berk changed, and not entirely for the better. A twisted individual, believing that the extinction of the Furies is the Will of the Gods, hunts both her and Toothless to kill them... The result of his hunt is a battle that claims many lives... Those who live.. will never be the same again.


**I. AM. So. HYPE for How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the trailer was so awesome. The Lightfury was SO cute. So looking forwards to 2019. Can not wait to see it! Anyone else excited? Anyway.. This is a sad, one-shot of something involving The Hidden World and the rumor of Toothless and Hiccup being separated after, just in a much more heart-breaking sense... I really hope Toothless and Hiccup AREN'T separated... Anyhow, lets get on with the sadness.. Not related to either of my other stories (** **Note this timeline is slightly different, just imagine this happening in place of Hidden World but still having the Lightfury. Oh and Hiccup understands Dragontounge.. And the villian isn't actually based off of or related to the Hidden World villian, apart from the fact he also hunts Nightfuries)**

 **Story is set completely in Hiccup's POV, and switches between the Aftermath (Present time) and the Battle (Flashbacks)**

~Hiccup's POV~

The price of our freedom came with war, the cost of my saftey paid by my fathers life. Our Dragons.. Berk had suffered, but for many the suffering was passing.. Not for me.. For me.. Today was the start of my suffering.. The battle against the Hunter had ended his tyranny for certain, but our victory came not without a heavy price. At the nest, where we found my mom, Drago had turned my own best friends will against him, forcing him to kill me.. It should've been me.. Not my dad.. I'm not ready to lead like he did.. Even with help from Mom, Astrid, and the others. Solemly, I stared out blankly over the rolling waves, vision blurred by the tears that refused to fall.. The Hunter said he had killed Nightfuries in the past, but I called his bluff.. My overconfidence in the powers of my friends had resulted in a massive part being taken from me, from everyone who still stood, human and dragon alike. He had taken Toothless... And although Toothless' last moments were many days past now.. It burned no weaker nor hurt any less.. The first fight, Berk survived.. But then he returned, aiming to finish what he started.. And.. In a way he did.. Droplets landed on my hands as I turned my gaze towards them, holding in them tightly two individual Nightfury scales that when put together formed a heart.. One half was Toothless'.. The other half belonged to a Lightfury we found all alone.. Scared out of her mind.. We took her in, brought her home and cared for her.. Toothless and her formed a bond.. Claiming each other recently.. Now they were both dead.. And it was fresh in my memory just what happened to the two.. "Forgive me Toothless."

~Flashback, Hiccup's POV~

I stood atop the stairs to the Great Hall staring out at the distant horizon, filled with ships poised for war. This battle was my doing, possibly, but I would not surrender Toothless to him, so he could be killed, and have his hide worn as a cape. Not even if Thor himself made the request, and no-one on our village would trade their dragon for anything either. I couldn't lose him, I lost my dad, but found my mom.. I couldn't lose my brother. I felt my hair shuffle under a warm exhale of air behind me, ad I looked over my shoulder at Toothless behind me. His gaze wasn't on the horizon, and I followed it with my own eyes to find him staring fearfully at the Lightfury on the other side of me. Only recently had they gotten together, and already their facing a war where they're both the main target. "We'll do what we can Toothless. I promise." I offered what assurance I could, trying to keep my voice calm.

The ships had sailed closer, and my breath hitched slightly before returning to normal. Every last rider on Berk was up in the air, many hiding above the clouds, awaiting ambush. Those without a dragon stood protecting the village, swords, bows and shields in hand, with the elderly, injured and anyone - dragon or human - unable to fight in the Great Hall. Eret, when he got the news of the war had left to gather what remained of his company of trappers, who stood in the village mixed with both Outcasts and the Berserker's. After the situation with the Screaming Death, Alvin and my father put aside their distrust, and, when word reached of Stoicks death, they offered their swords in defence of Berk; as for the Berserker's, that alliance was more due to Heather than Dagur.. When Dagur died, Heather claimed leadership of the tribe, and she led them beside us against Ryker and Viggo. The two tribes had came to fight alongside us, and Gothi had said that the Gods were on our side for this war. I wasn't so sure..Even with the Outcasts, Eret's company, the Berserker's, and even the dragons, numbers were still in their favour. Our reptilian friends made up the most of our force, but many whom held no loyalty to us had fled, and Toothless couldn't bring himself to force them to fight in a war they were not actually involved or threatened in.

Astrid, Eret, Snotlout, my mom.. Fishlegs and Guastv, so many lives hanging in the balance. So many scared warriors looking to me for that glimmer of hope. I held no hope myself, but I would not allow my own fears to betray my people that hope. The ships sailed closer. My breath hitched in my throat, my body beginning to shake softly, before my thoughts were snapped from my head at the sound of a young, fearfully little girls voice. Turning to the source of the sound of my thoughts interruption, I noticed the young, beautiful face of a small, blonde hairded, green eye'd little girl. Only a few years old.

"Is everyone going to be ok?" She whimpered, casting her eyes down. "I don't want anyone to die." I noticed the saddened glances of the two dragons at the small, frail form, and tried my best to be convincing.

"Don't worry little one. Daddy will do everything he can to keep mommy and the others safe. I promise."

"Will Toothless and Stardust (Lightfury) be safe?" I gave my best convincing nod.

"Go on, baby girl, go back inside to where its safe. It's too dangerous for you or anyone else in there to stay out here. Don't forget, I love you, always, my little Valkyrie." Placing a tender kiss on my daughters head, I ushered her back inside the Great Hall. She was another reason I was not going to show my people I had given up. Valkyrie might not be mine and Astrid's daughter by blood and birth, we had found her in a burned down village, so young and left to die like everyone else there.. We took her in and raised her as though she was our own, growing to love to gentle, friendly young female. I needed her to believe in me. I couldn't let her down. I couldn't let anyone down.

Rising to my feet, with my gaze now fixated once again on the approaching fleet, I felt my breath hitch once again. They had drawn even closer, nearly in-range of the village. Swiftly mounting Toothless and clicking his prosthetic into position, I took off to the front of the island with Stardust at our side, hovering above the village. Our numbers were small, even with the allies, but I had faith in our plan. Death would be certain, for many. The village would be hit first, the allies and dragonless would draw the smaller ships of troops in to clash with them, while the few dragons and riders we had visible would assist. The idea was we would take the brute of the attack, then the larger force or dragons and riders above the clouds would descend and ambush them from above.

Facing the people below of allies and tribe-mates, I drew Inferno from my side and ignited the blade, to which they all drew their own weapons and prepared to fight and die.

"People of Berk! Outcasts, Ex-Hunters, Berserkers! Today, we gather here to fight. We gather to fight for our homes, our lives. Our friends and family; our sons and daughters, husbands and wives who are not here with us to fight. These Hunters come for us all, they come for our dragons, but they can not have them without a fight! Many of us will fall... Those who do will never be forgotten, their memories marked and recorded by survivors in history, for the future generations of our tribes. I know many of you are scared, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared too, but we can, and we WILL prevail. Today! We face these Hunters at our door! Today we bring the fight to them! Today, for all of Midgard; We are ended tyranny forever! Today, we set in motion a future of peace with one final battle; for Midgard, for our families and dragons, for...for our freedom!"

~Present Time~

I still remember it all.. So vividly. Literally seconds after the speech, the ships were in range and began shooting at us, their smaller ships reaching the docks and dispatching hundreds of soldiers to fight us head on. So much blood, so much death, so much destruction ensued throughout the battle. It was going in our favour at first, with the ambush proving more successful than anyone anticpated. As the minutes went by, although they felt like hours during the conflict, the tide turned against us. Through sheer numbers we were overrun, fighting valiantly and dying a hero. Their flagship, where their leader was. Stardust had rushed ahead to try to damage his ship, though by the time me and Toothless arrived she was already shot and bleeding from her flank. The sight pained both me and Toothless, filling my friend with rage.

~Flashback~

As the balance of battle kept shifting between us and them, I had lost track of many of those closest to me admist the battle. Nowhere could I see the twins, Snotlout, or anyone. I just hoped and prayed to Odin and the Gods all of them would make it out alive. Stardust, the Lightfury and Toothless' recently claimed mate, had also vanished from our side. She may have been a dragon, a very powerful breed at that, but even she would be in grave danger alone. The echoing rumble of a signature plasma blast caught my dragons and my attention; turning to the source, we both spotted Stardust single-handedly attacking their flagship.

"C'mon Toothless, she needs our help." Without delay, we had rushed towards her to assist, only for us to arrive to a horrible sight that made my stomach churn. She had been forced to the ground, an arrow embedded into her right flank, with a second in her chest; blood oozing from the wounds. Even from a distance, I could feel the pain and fear radiating off her body, the terror in her eyes tore through my soul. So much anger was emitting from Toothless, with so much fear and love intertwined. Landing beside her, ignoring the enemy, who at the same time, let us grieve first, I hopped off Toothless and rushed over to her side wound. I felt sick to my stomach. The arrow had pierced her scales on an extreme level, to the point where almost half of the shaft itself was stuck inside her body, a similar story with the arrow to her chest.

"Stardust..." I heard Toothless whimper, fear and hatred coating his quivering words. "Please, my love... Don't go.." They shared a weak, pained nuzzle together, tears flowing from their eyes. "I...need...you"

"Tooth..less." She choaked on her words, the torture her form was enduring from the embedded projectiles hindering her. "Thank...you... So much, my love.. Thank you, for the amazing...two years you gave me... For...making me feel even half as happy as you did... I love...you so much Toothless... You made my life worth living... You were worth, being the last of my kind to find you..." Tears flooded down their faces. "Thank...you, for how loved you made me feel... Thank you...for taking me in...for...claiming me... For mating with me... For making me feel something new and special.."

"C'mon Star... Please... Y-y-you can't go! I need you! I want you! Don't...please don't go! I want you here... I want you alive and by my side... Please Star... Stay... Let me continue to love you... Let me continue to make your life the best... Please... Don't fade..." Toothless was so broken, so damaged.. It hurt me too witness this.. To hear the words they exchanged. Tears were flooding down my own face, hidden beneath my flight mask. "Don't fade Star...please don't fade... You can't... Can't let your fire-soul fade... Please... I need you, I want you by my side... I want to continue to love you, continue to please you... I want to continue to make you feel that... Don't fade..."

"Toothless, my love... I'm too weak to fight... You're strength is fading in me... Just...remember... You are, and always will be.. My first, and only mate... Goodbye my love... I...I...I will wait for you in the Golden Mountain..."

Toothless pressed his forehead against her's as her eyes drew shut, breathing shallowing to almost non-existent, trying to relieve herself of as much pain as she could before she passed away. "Goodbye... My mate... I will search for you in the Golden Mountain... I am loyal to you... and you alone... Wait for me in Heaven babe."

Once her words went silent, and she was now awaiting their Gods to take her soul away, Toothless had snapped. Violent, untamed rage flooded throughout my friends body, his spines glowing blue as he released a roar that made even my heart stop. There was nothing to hold him back now. Re-igniting Inferno, I averted my gaze to the Hunter leader. My knuckles gripped the handle, turning white as he glared at him with unmatched hatred. "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED!" I shouted. "To break the hearts of so many! Did you not care about the cost of lives! I refused to hand them over because they are family! Not simple beasts to be slain and used for decoration!"

He simply smirked. "Foolish young Hiccup.. This war is YOUR doing. If you had simply accepted the trade, no-one would be dead."

"Except Stardust and Toothless! What fucking right do you have to just kill them for no reason?"

"Dragons are mindless beasts. Majestic beasts, yes, but still beasts non-the-less. They are uncapable of feeling like we do. They are just like any other animal.. They act only on instincts. Besides... I'm doing the work of the Gods." He laughed. "Afterall, the Nightfury is the UNHOLY"

Growling with anger and hatred, I charged at him with sword raised, hoping to wound him with a single strike. I was never much good at fighting, because I soon found myself stumbling backwards as he effortlessly deflected my attack. I was thankful for the sturdy material the blade was made of, otherwise this fight would've ended alot sooner.

~Present~

The fight was never going my way from the beginning, but hearing Toothless scream with pain gave him the advantage. I couldn't believe things had turned that grim.. I don't know how he had gotten wounded, but when I looked at him, crawling and curling up beside Stardust with blood everywhere.. My heart broke into a thousand pieces. I couldn't believe what I was seeing... It broke me... Broke me so much...

~Final Flashback~

"Toothless!" I cried, ignoring everything and rushing directly to my wounded brother. A massive gash all along his chest and stomach, from the base of his neck to just above his hips, his flesh had been sliced into and was gushing with crimson blood. A fatal wound... I couldn't believe my eyes, I didn't want to look but at the same time I couldn't look away. "Toothless! Buddy!" I broke into tears once again, collapsing over the ebony creature as my body racked with sobs. Footsteps echoed in the back of my mind, the world around me fading away with anger, sorrow, hatred and regret consuming me.

With a cry of rage, I gripped Inferno tightly in my hands and charged at their leader; violently swinging the burning blade at him with speed and unknown strength, but he was barely breaking a sweat. If I was to die.. I'd die fighting. I'd die fighting for everyone who still stood. I'd die trying to protect the living and avenge the fallen. The battle had returned into our favour.. The sacrifices and deaths of many rallying those who remained and giving them more morale, more resolve, making it increasingly difficult for the hunters to fight back - many had began to retreat. "TOOTHLESS! STARDUST!" I heard her through the darkness around me. Astrid.. She rushed to my side after landing, Eret, Heather, even Alvin joining me on the Flagship as Valka tried to keep the furies alive.

"It's over!" Alvin roared, noting that many of the hunter's had fled, or surrendered to the mercy of Hiccup and his allies. Very few still stood ready to fight, but very soon they would bow or fall like the rest.

"Even so, the furies are dead.. Extinct.. I'd call that a victory.. Ridding Midgard of monsters like them is a worthy duty."

"How. Fucking. Dare. You!" I seethed, taking a threatening step closer. "Dragons, of any breed, have AS MUCH right to inhabit Midgard as any other creature of the Realm." We closed in around him, each gripping our weapons tightly. Only for something unexpected, but not really unwanted to happen.. With his last breath, Toothless had somehow gathered enough energy to blast the leader into the mast of his ship, cracking his entire rib cage and very quickly killing him with the blast impact.

Dropping my weapon, I rushed to them, collapsing to my knees... Stardust gathered the little strength she still retained, and, with a very weak, broken voice, she whispered. "Hiccup...go to my cave...protect our egg... The furies...will live... Without us... Raise our son or daughter... And tell them...their parents will always love them... Tell them...when their old enough... We died... protecting everything we loved... Look after her... I have a feeling...the egg will hatch a girl... I promise... I'll take good care of Toothless... The Gods will honour his passing... The Golden Mountain is calling me home...with my loved one..."

I felt a hand land my shoulder, but I didn't even move. The battle had ended.. So many had died.. Everyone had suffered so much.. Those around me, the gang, they gathered in a circle around the furies, their own hearts broken and tears falling.. "Be at peace... Let the Drax welcome you... Let them howl your names.. Let your legend be told in your Golden Mountain." I recalled words Stardust had taught me about Dragon-kind.. Those words were a sign of respect, much like our words when we lose someone..

~Present~

True enough when I ventured into Stardust's cave, there was a lone egg in their.. I did everything to protect it, and now, out from that egg had hatched a tiny female Light-Nightfury cross.. So young and small. She was curled up beside me, fast asleep. Cradling the small form in my arms, I felt her nuzzle into my stomach, bringing a pained smile to my face. Valkyrie had grown so attached to the baby dragon.. It pained me so much to tell her about Toothless and Stardust when she questioned why they were not moving, it was so difficult watching her cry her absolute heart out. Footsteps caught my attention, and as I turned to face the owners, I was met with the bright green eye of Valkyire, followed closely by Astrid, Heather and Eret. Eret, he might've been an ex-trapper, but we had become good friends and great allies.. It hurt, knowing that his entire company of trappers.. Everyone he had worked with serving Drago for God knows how long.. They had all been killed. He didn't blame me.. He didn't blame anyone.. He had assured me it wasn't my fault asking for their help. They knew that death was essentially guaranteed but they came and died regardless.. I would honour them for that.

As the group reached me, I felt the small, delicate arms of Valkyrie wrap around mine, and I gently lifted her onto my lap, letting the unnamed baby dragon sleep in her own lap as she petted her. Astrid took a seat beside me, placing a loving kiss on my cheek, making me smile slightly as I dried my eyes. Those two scales that formed a heart? They had actually been made a necklace for the dragonling. Another way to keep her parents close to her. The group of us just gazed out over the ocean, as the other members of the gang arrived behind them. Everyone was still recovering from the battle.. We weren't... ready to face another one... We never would be... I cast my gaze over the shadow-black fleet on the horizon.. A fleet of ships built for war.. A war we would not win...


End file.
